Kiss in the Shadows, Dance in the Moonlight
by wickedplay
Summary: [[A Professor Remus Lupin Story]]
1. Chapter 1

**Kiss in the Shadows, Dance in the Moonlight **

**A Professor Remus Lupin Story .:Chapter One:. **

--Third Person--

It was two years after the defeat of the Dark Lord and things were finally settled down. The members of the Order of the Phoenix were finally able to go about their lives. Some had found love and others a place where they finally belonged.

The school year had begun and the Great Hall was filled with noise and celebration at having Harry Potter and other members of the Order at their school. The houses cheered as Dumbledore stood to give his annual speech... that is all the houses but one.

Slytherin.

While most people were ecstatic that Voldemort had been finally defeated, the Death Eaters weren't. And though the house wasn't filled with Voldemort's supporters, it was filled with children that had lost their fortunes and families.

The group sitting at the front of the Slytherin house table was exactly that. Their parents had been some of the worst and even though they themselves had not been evil or even prejudice they were just as affected. Their faces set in grim lines, they watched as Dumbledore opened his mouth to tell them what they had already guessed.

Professor Dumbledore had offered certain members of the Order posts at his school. Minerva McGonagall, his deputy headmistress was offered the post, temporarily, of Headmistress. He would still be at the school but he needed more rest until he felt he was able to fully act as Headmaster again. Harry Potter was presented the job of Defense Against Dark Arts, which he readily accepted as Hogwarts was his first real home. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, Potter's father's best friends didn't want to miss anymore of Harry's life so they took positions as well. Black would be the new Quidditch instructor and Lupin would be teaching History of Magic.

They were pretty decent guessers.

The seven upper-class students all sat on edge as they waited the eight member of their clique to show. In the years that they had come to know her, they knew she was the punctual type and she should have not been this late on the first day of the school year and if Dumbledore had asked her not to come back then he must have found out...

They all physically trembled as the thought crossed their mind but before any of them could finish the thought they stopped themselves... they just couldn't think like that... and besides even if they're Occlumency was strong someone else's Legilimency might be stronger.

As Dumbledore gave the stand over to McGonagall, the doors burst open and out stepped a figure, robed in black.

--Scarlet's POV--

I waited outside the door, not quite sure if I should do in now or not. Filch was giving me the eye and I wasn't sure if he was hitting on me or if I was in trouble but whatever it meant... I wasn't into it.

I could hear Dumbledore say something and there was a long enough pause that I felt comfortable going in. I put up my hood, knowing that it would put my face in shadow.

The letter I had received from Snape told me that there had been a few new editions to the Hogwarts faculty. Harry Potter to name one...

The moment I stepped foot into the hall, it grew silent and I could feel hundreds of eyes on me. I always did know how to make an entrance...

I looked over to where my seven best friends sat and I knew that they knew it was me from the grins on their face. Looking at the table of teachers it was obvious the ones who knew me, knew it was me but others were a little more apprehensive.

Potter was a little more then apprehensive; he had stood up and had his wand out, as if to fight with me.

I pushed my hood back as I laughed.

"I don't believe that teachers are allowed to pick fights with students, _Professor_ Potter."

I put a little something extra in my voice when I said Professor, after all I'm not supposed to like him and besides he couldn't be more then three years my senior.

As I thought, it didn't go unnoticed by McGonagall.

"Miss Cobra, explain yourself. You're very late." McGonagall snapped at me.

"I'm sorry but I have a note from my guardian and I owled Professor Snape three days ago informing him that I was departing late."

"She's right... I thought I had notified you Minerva." Snape added; I had always been one of his favorites and therefore I wasn't going to get in trouble over nothing.

Things looked as if they could go on for hours and everyone was already hungry enough so Dumbledore patted McGonagall's hand and she waved her hand, staring the feast.

So I guess she really was Headmistress now...

"Scar!" I heard a voice behind me say; I turned around to see a dark-haired 7th year.

"Miss Aurora Blake! How are you, doll?" I said as she gave me a hug.

She led me to our usual place at the head of the Slytherin table where the other six sat. I took the seat at the head where I sat next to Jamison Hender, the Quidditch keeper of Slytherin whose hot skills could only be matched by his body.

The feast began but as I grabbed a goblet I felt eyes looking at me. I was used to being the center of attention but these eyes sent pleasant shivers down my back.

I twisted in my seat to look at the head table where a good-looking man sat, hair was light-brown yet streaked with pre-matures streaks of gray and his amber eyes were staring at me. His face was pale and his eyes as tired as I knew mine were. He looked a bit underfed but then again so did most of my friends. He sat next to a handsome man whose black hair was long and who held a cocky smile on his face. Next to the brunette sat Potter, I had to admit our three new teachers were quite attractive.

"Professor R.J. Lupin of History of Magic and Mister Sirius Black, Quidditch Instructor." Jamison whispered in my ear as he saw who I was staring at.

Lupin was still looking and at this time so were Black and Potter. I raised my goblet to them with a smile. Lupin looked a bit shocked, as did Potter but Black grinned back at me and raised his own cup.

"Already hitting on teachers, Cobra?" Derek Striker yelled from the Gryffindor table.

I grinned, Striker hated me ever since I turned him down last year and I honestly didn't care, but Zane Celt, my best friend with piercing blue eyes and the face of an angel, did.

He got up as if to pick a fight but Sabrina Laurens and Natasha Zech, both gorgeous 6th years with drastically different looks, stopped him.

Peirce Grant, a 7th year with blonde hair and a brilliant smile who sat across me, winked and turned around to say oh so cockingly, "Don't hate the beautiful, Striker."

Ryder Sparot, another 7th year, who was Head Boy this year, started to laugh. I couldn't help chuckling myself. Ryder ran his hands through his dark hair and stood up to stop the commotion as he did have to at least pretend he took his duties seriously.

People from every part of the room grew jealous watching the eight of us; we well knew we were the best-looking young adults in the room and we gave off the impression of having the most fun and everyone wanted the coveted spot next to one of us.

Unfortunately, I knew that we weren't as perfect as we seemed.

Being a pureblood in this day and age wasn't quite that great since everyone automatically assumed you must be a Death Eater. Thankfully our fellow students at Hogwarts knew us that they knew we weren't like that.

However, the Ministry of Magic took all the money that had belonged to our parents and that should have been ours and kept it for themselves because they said the money was "tainted", and also since most death eaters were either dead or in Azkaban their children had to go live with their guardians. Sadly, their guardians were more or less death eaters themselves and were in the same predicament as their parents so the Ministry of Magic, _graciously_ stepped in again and this time they gave them guardians that were Ministry approved. These _guardians _were atrocious. They seemed to take their anger and frustration out on the kids and treated them horribly.

I knew my friends suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to care for them, though they would never admit it.

Looking around I could see that having no money of their own was affecting them; their uniforms up close were threadbare and were worse then second hand. They might have looked perfect to someone viewing them from afar but up-close they were just sad. I had to blink back tears at how thin their faces looked. It seemed as if they hadn't had a proper meal in months and I respected them for the grace with which they handled themselves.

I knew that the Ministry's order of taking their money should have affected me but it didn't. While the money that my parents had was gone, my grandfather's was still there. My grandfather was a blood traitor in the eyes of my family, but to me he was the sweetest wizard ever to wave a wand. He had always preferred the company of Muggles then the evil that we were related too and somehow he saw himself in me and instead of willing his money and estate to my father, he willed it to me, and so the Ministry couldn't take it away.

I had escaped to France this summer where the vineyard was, I had to be there at least once a year if I wished to inherit it and besides someone had to make sure that things were running smoothly. My guardian was a dick but I could wrap him around my little finger if I needed to, thankfully.

"Tired, Scar?" Sabrina asked me.

"Nugghhmuaah..." I said incoherently... I guess the yawn sort of scrambled the phrase, 'not much'.

"I'll take that as a yes."

I grinned at Sabrina and looked around and saw that Ryder had somehow managed to calm both parties and they had both stared to eat again.

* * *

The feast ended quickly and as usual, we all went back to our houses. I waved and talked to a couple of people from all the houses before going up to Slytherin with Pierce. 

The other six were waiting for us in the common room by the time we had come in. There were only a handful of people sitting around other then us and I knew that they would be gone in a few minutes.

I was about to sit next to the fire when I jumped back up again. I had forgotten that I had to go see Dumbledore. I took off my cloak and placed it where I had been a few seconds ago.

"Hey guys, I have to see McGonagall... I'll be back in a few..." I told them, running out the door.

--Remus' POV--

We had been asked to go back to Minerva's rooms as Headmistress for a bit. It seemed that Dumbledore had something to tell us.

I walked with Sirius and Harry there; feeling like James was with us again.

Unfortunately, Sirius was back to his old self again.

"Young, nubile girls."

Harry looked at me, not quite sure what to say.

"You do know that you're their teacher? Not to mention at least twenty years their senior?"

"When did I ever care about rules, Remus?"

Harry laughed, surprising us both. He looked at us and said, "I can see why my dad liked you two..."

I grinned while Sirius laughed.

We had reached the door when Snape walked by us and said, "Chocolate Toffee."

The door opened while I stopped Sirius from curing Snape, we weren't back in school and this time we were teachers.

"But he's a weenie..." Sirius whined to me.

You would have thought Azkaban would have made him a better, more mature person. Obviously not.

We had walked in and it was apparent that we were the ones holding things up. Dumbledore was walking around, talking to Felix while Minerva was talking to Fudge.

"Why is he here?" Harry asked, the dislike in his voice strong.

I shrugged my soldiers, curious myself.

We sat down as someone knocked on the entrance. We looked around, but everyone was here and why would a student come see their headmistress so late at night and on the first day back?

Minerva opened the door to reveal...


	2. Chapter 2

**Words: I own nothing and no one but my OC's and Scarlet isn't a Mary-Sue... she has plenty of flaws but that comes up later. The thing with this story is its AU now. But I don't want to change it, I'm too lazy. Unless you really want me to? Also I have no idea what I was doing when I gave her so many friends. But I'm pretty sure there was a point, I just can't remember what that was. **

**Kiss in the Shadows, Dance in the Moonlight [A Professor Remus Lupin Story] .:Chapter Two:. **

[[Remus' POV]]

Minerva opened the door to reveal the same girl who had sauntered into the Great Hall during dinner.

Once again, I found myself unable to look away as she placed herself in the center of the room, she walked with the grace and confidence of someone years her senior. I had been unable to tear myself away from her, but then again I'm sure it was because no one else had spoken to Harry like that, not after his defeat of Voldemort.... actually no one had ever had the audacity to walk in late for dinner on the first night back and then talkback to a professor.

"I just want one, preferably that one." I heard Sirius say to Harry. I didn't hear Harry's reply as one again my own eyes met with eyes that were a startling color of amethyst. They were framed in dark long dark lashes while a breathtaking face was framed by straight black hair, a small grin starting to play on her full lips as once again she caught me staring.

"But then again, it looks like Remus had already called her."

I forced myself to look away as I turned around to sees Sirius with a wicked grin on his face.

I wanted to punch him.

"Miss Cobra, what are you doing here?" I heard Minerva ask.

I turned around to see the playful look on her face fall.

"I've come here to speak to Professor Dumbledore." She was small, for someone with such a commanding air it surprised me. I hadn't noticed the distinct lack of height before, but looking at her now I did. Her back got straighter as if she was preparing for battle.

Dumbledore walked back into the room, his timing, as always, perfect.

Her gaze swept over the room, "I was hoping to speak to you in private, Professor."

Her eyes lingered on the three of us. Emotions flickering quickly across those eyes before they could be read.

"Then again, I guess it would be better this way."

"Cobra!" Sirius shouted. His chair falling back as he leapt from it. "You're a Cobra!"

I wanted to cringe, for some reason second hand embarrassment was always something I had to deal with Sirius around. Probably because he never felt the emotion for himself.

"Yes, yes I am." She sounded regretful, not proud.

"That's enough Black." Snape said from across the room.

Sirius ignored him, walking towards her, his every word getting heated, "You're parents are the some of the most…"

Snape met him across the room; he stood before the girl as if her protector. "I said that was enough."

The two would have pulled out their wands at each other if not for Dumbledore, "Sirius, go back to your seat, you of all people should know that birthright means very little. Miss Cobra, if you want to meet with Minerva and me in private that would certainly be fine."

She shook her head, "These few minutes have proven that maybe I should talk with all of you."

"This isn't easy for me to say," She took a breath and turned her head to lock eyes with Sirius, "I'm not excusing past actions but those crimes weren't done by me. I'll be the first to admit that the Cobra name had been forever dirtied. My parents were some of the worst. They deserve to die, not just rot in Azkaban."

They were harsh words, coming from someone so young. Someone so beautiful.

_Beautiful_?

I needed to get a hold of myself. This young woman before me was to be a student, not anything more. Not to mention the daughter of enemies.

I glanced over at Sirius, he looked almost regretful and I was sure he would have apologized to her right then, if she hadn't kept talking.

"Professors, those of you who know me and my friends know we are nothing like our parents. We've been lucky in classmates, most of them, regardless of house, believe the same," she looked over to where Harry and I sat, "I mean no disrespect when I say this, but don't judge us by our last names, we didn't choose those. Get to know us as people, wizards even, hopefully you'll find that evil doesn't run in our blood." She gave a rueful smile, her eyes going to seek Snape's.

At his nod she continued. "As you know, the ministry gave us guardians. Minister, they have treated us as we were the Death Eaters," Fudge looked shaken that she would address him with it.

"I have fared better then they have, I've been lucky to have had other resources that the ministry was unable to take away. I'm here because if you would find it agreeable I would like to take my friends out to Hogsmeade as soon as possible. They need new robes, they need schoolbooks. They need to be taken care of."

There was silence following her words. Her proud stance was not asking for pity but for understanding. Everyone had been affected in this war in someway or another.

"You may go tomorrow night, after your last classes." The words were spoken from Minerva.

"Thank you headmistress." With a nod of farewell towards all in the room, she stepped out.

For some reason I felt as if the room had lost some of its brightness. I was filled with a sense of regret that I didn't understand.

It was Dumbledore's voice that brought me back, "Miss Cobra is an incredible young woman, so much like her grandfather."

I found myself more curious about the young woman then I did about why we were asked to come here in the first place.

"Yes, yes." Fudge murmured, apparently he wasn't as curious as I was, "I asked all of you here for a very important reason."

I felt Harry and Sirius leaning in, their interest piped.

"We're going to have a parade to honor all of you!"

It was as if cold water had been thrown on all of us. Snape's look was murderous as he swiftly walked out of the room.

It was all I could do not to do the same.

[[Scarlet's POV]]

The eight of us lounged about in the boy's room since they weren't allowed in ours. I had told them about the permission we had received to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow.

Pride made them reluctant to accept the help I was more then willing to give them but thankfully pride was the reason they didn't refuse, knowing that their current situation needed to be bettered.

While Ryder and Sabrina made plans as to where we would go first, I stretched out on the floor with my head in Jamison's lap. I couldn't seem to keep up a conversation, my mind kept on going back to amber eyes.

"Who are you daydreaming about?" I heard Jamison ask.

"You of course," I said laughing as Jamison's eyebrow went up as he grinned at me.

The eight of us had grown up together, our parents preferring other activities then raising us. You could say that we had raised each other; we were the only family each of us had really ever known.

It was fact that I had no romantic interests in any of them, and they would say the same for me. Though of course, we did have our pairs; Ryder and Sabrina were a match made in heaven, if such a place existed, Natasha and Pierce refused to admit what was between them but they were as much as a couple as any other and Zane and Jamison were in love though theirs' was not a relationship most of society would accept easily.

"She's got that rugged new history teacher on her mind," Aurora quipped, as always more perceptive then I liked.

"So I may have a crush on the new teacher. Can you blame me?"

"He's a werewolf, Scar," Jamison said, "Did you know that?"

I sat up. A werewolf??

"If anything I bet that makes him a better lover," Sabrina said. We all laughed, we had never been narrow-minded, the fact that our parents were, or had been, had made us rebel at a young age. In all these years, our sole goal had been to better people then them and it seemed to me like we had succeeded.

"In all seriousness, he's not only a teacher but he's one of them," Ryder brought forth, his words barely more then a whisper.

There was no need to ask what he meant by that, his unspoken words were clearer then if he had said them out loud.

"Oh you guys make it sound like I'm obsessed. So I raised my goblet at our new good-looking teachers. You're right I'm practically offering myself as a sex slave." I shot back teasingly, refusing to address the reality of our situations.

_Not yet. Not now. Please give me time. _

"Well if you somehow manage to seduce him, I'm pretty sure it would give me a better chance with Snape," Aurora joked.

Though the others dissolved into laughs at one of our age old jokes, I made eye contact with Aurora, knowing full well that she wasn't completely kidding and that she had understood my unspoken plea.

We spent a few more minutes basking in the warmth of friendship before turning into bed.

As I slipped under the covers and started to drowse off, my last conscious thoughts were of a new professor with eyes I couldn't seem to get out of my head.

If nothing else this was sure to be a year to remember.


End file.
